On Saturday, April 15, Leonid Volkov, a Massachusetts man, was arrested for the deaths of a missing couple after their dismembered remains were discovered inside a Boston iStorage unit.
Leonid Volkov, 37, is accused of fatally stabbing Kiryl Schukin, 37, and Pavel Vekshin, 28, before dismembering their bodies and dumping the remains inside a rubber bin that was found inside a storage unit in Boston.
As per the New York Post, Kiryl Schukin and Pavel Vekshin were reported missing on April 9 after friends and coworkers grew concerned about the whereabouts of the couple, who were last seen alive last month.
Leonid Volkov rented the storage unit using the victim's name
Days after authorities launched an investigation into the whereabouts of the missing couple, authorities found the remains of the victims on Friday, April 14, after investigators executed a search warrant on a storage unit rented by Leonid Volkov. According to authorities, the storage unit was rented using one of the victims' names.
While authorities have yet to disclose a motive for the killing, they said that Volkov was acquainted with the couple before the incident.
As per the New York Post, officials said that Schukin had been a guarantor on the lease for an apartment Volkov was renting in Medford for a time. However, Volkov was evicted from the apartment after Schukin stopped vouching for the suspect and backed out of his role as a guarantor.
According to Fox News, shortly before the couple disappeared, Volkov and Schukin met up in a rented U-Haul truck that the former was reportedly driving on March 29.
Authorities said surveillance footage near the couple’s apartment caught Volkov entering and exiting the premises days after the duo was last seen alive. Shortly after their disappearance, Medford police via Twitter asked the public to reach out to law enforcement with information on the case. The tweet read:
“Investigators Seeking Help in Connection with Medford Missing Persons Case - Both men were reported missing on April 9, 2023. Anyone with info is asked to contact the @MassStatePolice Detective Unit (781) 897-6600 and/or the @MedfordPolice Detective Division (781) 391-6767.”
Shortly after, police reportedly tracked the U-Haul truck, which was spotted being driven by the accused killer, to the storage unit where the missing couple was found on Friday. The next day, Volkov was arrested for the deaths and charged with murder.
Authorities said that officers also found bleach, rubber gloves, and items that belonged to the slain couple inside the storage unit.
The district attorney’s office said that Leonid Volkov, who will be arraigned in the Somerville District Court on Tuesday, will face additional charges in the case.